It was surreal and emotional with some stinging songs more politically charged than Eurovision voting as Boro finished their Riverside programme on a jarring note.

The lack-lustre 2-1 defeat was as insipid as any this season but it was played in a volatile atmosphere swirling with toxic flurries and bizarre under-currents.

Boro fans chanted in favour of Aitor Karanka - and the chairman who showed him the door, booed one of their own players to the echo and even chanted at the ref to send off their own keeper. It was surreal.

The game started with the pre-match Premier League faff on of the silly match ball Plinth of Possibility and the Arch of Anticipation being assembled by a special squad of global branding synergy opportunity operatives. We’re to miss all that. And being last on Match of the Day.

On kick-off the Red Faction determined to sign off with a full-throated flourish but most of the crowd were weighed down with relegation blues, many were pressed men, chuntering through the contractual obligation chore of a dead rubber.

There was a bright start as lively new boy Patrick Bamford – all shiny and eager to please - buzzed about and almost got into position to grab a shock second minute opener to start his own road to redemption and put down a marker for next term. Because that’s all that really matter now: next term.

The early fizz soon went and both sides settled into a low key, end-of-season bout of shadow boxing. Boro probably had the edge but without threatening the goal.

Southampton fans were chanting “We’ll never play you again” which shows a the ruthless stiletto taunting that fans are so adept at but also a huge lack of awareness on their part of the cyclical nature of the game. They were in League One and administration not so long ago.

Ironically, Southampton fans ­- a decent turn-out of 1,300 for a long distance non-event - have spent much of the season moaning some familiar mantras.

They have played in Europe and reached the League Cup final this term but boss Claude Puel plays a Karankaesque rigid, risk averse, patient possession, low thrills brand of football that doesn’t produce a lot of goals. They had failed to net in four of the previous five for example.

When their side made a rare foray forward on the half-hour the Saints fans started chanting: “We’ve had a shot,” part of Boro’s regular repertoire this season. Which just goes to show there are relative levels of shot-shy mediocrity.

In both tedious games this term there has been little to choose between the sides bar a little bit more clinical movement up front for the Saints.

That is what makes this frustrating relegation so grating. Boro have not been that far short in so many of the games and a few per cent here or there many have made so much difference in the points haul if not the excitement levels.

When Southampton scored there was a bit of booing but it was almost drowned out by a huge heavy-hearted sigh.

Southampton's Jay Rodriguez (left) celebrates scoring (Image: PA)

The whistle at the break – a blessed relief - was greeted with a half-hearted and hollow round of booing. It lacked real bite and anger. Much of that has been discharged in the weeks since the battering at Bournemouth.

When Southampton’s second flew in – a decent but routine strike by play-off Nemesis Redmond – there was another round of booing, this time with added edge while a steady stream of disillusioned Boro fans voted with their feet.

With the game gone the atmosphere swiftly became a surreal canvas for various simmering political positions to be clearly marked out.

Sections of the South Stand started to chant the name of departed Aitor Karanka, an implied thumbs down to Steve Agnew. That prompted popular cheerleader Leo Percovich – the Basque boss’s one time right hand man - to jump up and gesticulate angrily at them to turn it down and while they responded by roaring the Uruguayan’s name the keeper coach pointed to Agnew, indicating they should get behind the new man.

Steve Agnew

Soon after that Stewart Downing was substituted to the sound of loud jeering as a faction of fans made clear they thought he may be implicated in the behind the scenes turmoil that hastened Karanka’s exit.

There was a bizarre moment soon after when Brad Guzan brought down Long to concede a penalty and a large section of Boro fans started to chant: “Off, off, off” at the referee because they wanted to give Dimi Konstantopoulos a sentimental swansong. I’ve never seen any crowd call for their own player to be sent off before.

God knows what the Southampton fans – or any neutrals – must have made of the weird soundtrack. There were some heads being scratched in the press box.

The sub-text was heavy with tones of dissent at the way the term has been handled. Yet the proxy protests were also interspersed with loud statements of support for Steve Gibson and passionate renditions of battle hymns pledging loyalty to the club itself.

It was a bizarre and contradictory cocktail: support for Karanka – just weeks after he was being widely berated by the vast majority of fans - and also for the chairman who showed him the door. By mutual consent.

And then in the closing stages there was a nostalgic mash-up of chants hailing Emilio Nsue, Albert Adomah, Lee Tomlin and Jelle Vossen too, all players eased out by Karanka.

As the clock ticked down Mark Page made a totally unnecessary announcement: “Please stay off the pitch”. As if it was going to be Brighton all over again!

In the event on the whistle there was a half-hearted boo and a playground pitch invasion as a dozen kids ran onto the pitch, looked around and realised they were alone.

They didn’t know what to do. One got a cheeky selfie with Marten de Roon and then they wriggled past stewards and back into the crowd.

After the dull thud of disappointment the Red Faction put down a marker with a loud roar of “the might Boro are going up” as a sheepish squad went through a lap of appreciation that brought warm applause from a half-empty ground.

It was a strange day of simmering tensions against a backdrop of a lack-lustre display. But then, its been that kind of season.